COMMITTEE FOR TRANSPORTATION MOBILITY & ACCESSIBILITY WORKSHOP AGENDA

Transcription

1 COMMITTEE FOR TRANSPORTATION MOBILITY & ACCESSIBILITY Wednesday, February 1, :00 AM PLEASE NOTE MEETING DATE VTA Conference Room B North First Street San Jose, CA WORKSHOP AGENDA COMMITTEE MISSION: The VTA Committee for Transportation Mobility and Accessibility provides guidance and perspective to the Board of Directors on VTA transit and transportation accessibility matters to help ensure complete access to all users in Santa Clara County, doing so by facilitating dialogue with, representing and advocating the needs of the disabled and senior communities. CALL TO ORDER 1. ROLL CALL 2. INTRODUCTION OF AUDIENCE MEMBERS 3. PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS This portion of the agenda is reserved for persons desiring to address the Committee on any matter not on the agenda, within the Committee s jurisdiction. Speakers are limited to 2 minutes. The law does not permit Committee action or extended discussion on any item not on the agenda except under special circumstances. If Committee action is requested, the matter can be placed on a subsequent agenda. All statements that require a response will be referred to staff for reply in writing. 4. INFORMATION ITEM -Receive information on the recommended contractor for ACCESS Paratransit Services. 5. INFORMATION ITEM -Receive and review the Next Network Paratransit Service Area Analysis North First Street San Jose, CA Administration Customer Service

2 Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority Committee for Transportation Mobility & Accessibility February 1, DISCUSSION ITEM - Discuss Paratransit Eligibility. (Follow up from the January 12, 2017, CTMA meeting) (Verbal Report) 7. Receive Committee Staff Report. (Verbal Report) (Vogel) VTA s priorities for ANNOUNCEMENTS 9. ADJOURN In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, VTA will make reasonable arrangements to ensure meaningful access to its meetings for persons who have disabilities and for persons with limited English proficiency who need translation and interpretation services. Individuals requiring ADA accommodations should notify the Board Secretary s Office at least 48-hours prior to the meeting. Individuals requiring language assistance should notify the Board Secretary s Office at least 72-hours prior to the meeting. The Board Secretary may be contacted at (408) or board.secretary@vta.org or (408) (TTY only). VTA s home page is or visit us on (408) : 中文 / Español / 日本語 / Çѱ¹¾î / tiếng Việt / Tagalog. All reports for items on the open meeting agenda are available for review in the Board Secretary s Office, 3331 North First Street, San Jose, California, (408) at least 72- hours prior to the meeting. This information is available on VTA s website at and also at the meeting. Page 2

3 Revised Item #4 Date: January 30, 2017 Current Meeting: February 1, 2017 Board Meeting: N/A BOARD MEMORANDUM TO: THROUGH: FROM: SUBJECT: Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority Committee for Transportation Mobility & Accessibility General Manager, Nuria I. Fernandez Chief Operating Officer, Inez Evans Recommended Contract Award for ACCESS Paratransit Services FOR INFORMATION ONLY BACKGROUND: In accordance with federal regulations, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) provides Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) paratransit services to persons who are unable to independently access or navigate VTA s bus or light rail system due to a physical, visual, or cognitive disability in accordance with ADA. VTA s responsibility to provide ADA paratransit service has been outsourced since On June 24, 2016, VTA s Board of Directors approved a recommendation by VTA s Auditor General to terminate the contract for convenience with its long standing paratransit provider. This action required staff to release a request for proposal for paratransit service. On September 01, 2016, the Paratransit Scope of Work (SOW) was approved by the VTA Board of Directors. On September 2, 2016 a Request for Proposals (RFP) that included the Board approved SOW, was released for VTA ACCESS Paratransit Services. The RFP was developed following community workshops and emphasized providing safe, reliable and high quality services. DISCUSSION: VTA received five proposals from the following firms: Chariot First Transit MV Transportation Ride Right 3331 North First Street San Jose, CA Administration Customer Service

4 Transdev The RFP review board consisted of five members from VTA s Regional Transportation Service department, technology, finance, and operations administration. Proposals were evaluated on the following criteria by each member of the review board: Qualifications of the Firm...25 points Staffing and Project Organization...20 points Work Plan/Project Understanding..35 points Use of Existing Operators and Staff...10 points Cost & Price..30 points The review board evaluated proposals and short-listed two firms deemed most responsive, responsible, and competitive 1) MV Transportation and 2) First Transit. These firms were invited to interviews held December 1, The interviews provided an opportunity for the review board to better understand the firms qualifications, staffing plan and work plan. Based on the combination of the written proposals and oral interviews, the review board requested additional clarifying information from the short-listed firms, which VTA received by the December 22, 2016 due date. The review board conducted reference checks on both firms in January. Once the evaluation process concluded, MV Transportation was deemed the highest ranked firm. MV Transportation is one the largest paratransit providers in the nation and operates locally in San Jose. The company was originally founded in the Bay Area and is now headquartered in Dallas, Texas. MV has significant local knowledge and experience having provided the paratransit service drivers since MV has been VTA s interim service provider for all Paratransit services since November 3, MV has experience providing services where ondemand providers (ODP) are utilized. Their references included strong corporate and technology support which is needed for our current transition. MV s proposal and interview demonstrated the strongest project understanding, staffing plan and Trapeze experience. MV s work plan included important functions for finance, human resources, information technology, and customer service in its proposal. Next Steps: The VTA Board of Directors is scheduled to consider the contract award at their February 2, 2017 meeting. The proposed contract with MV is for four years in the amount of $79,875,047 to provide VTA s ACCESS Paratransit Services. The contract will commence July 1, 2017 and end June 30, Prepared By: Aaron Vogel Memo No Page 2 of 2

5 Date: January 27, 2017 Current Meeting: February 1, 2017 Board Meeting: N/A BOARD MEMORANDUM TO: THROUGH: FROM: SUBJECT: Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority Committee for Transportation Mobility & Accessibility General Manager, Nuria I. Fernandez Chief Operating Officer, Inez Evans Next Network Paratransit Service Area Analysis FOR INFORMATION ONLY Introduction - VTA s Draft Transit Service Plan: Under the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority s (VTA s) Transit Ridership Improvement Program (TRIP) initiated in 2015, VTA began a two-year planning and outreach effort to increase ridership, improve efficiency and control cost through a redesigned transit network. This project, known as the Next Network encompasses the implementation of a new transit service plan to occur concurrent with the opening of BART service to the Milpitas and Berryessa stations. The project aims to engage the community in developing a new bus and light rail transit network reflecting our transit needs and values, increasing ridership, improving farebox recovery, and integrating our new BART service into the transit network. The project's major milestones include: - Late 2015: Independent assessment of VTA s service and market - April 2016: Assessment results reports to VTA Board - Summer 2016: Community outreach Phase 1 - November 2016: VTA Board decision on ridership/coverage allocation (85/15) - January 2017: Draft transit service plan released - January-February 2017: Community outreach Phase 2 - April 2017: Final transit service plan for VTA Board approval - Fall 2017: Service begins (concurrent with the opening of BART Phase 1) The first phase of community outreach was designed to acquaint the community and stakeholders with the results of the independent assessment and outline potential scenarios. Following this public process, the VTA Board of Directors held a November 2016 workshop to discuss the community s input and give staff direction on the ridership/coverage balance for the 3331 North First Street San Jose, CA Administration Customer Service

6 draft transit service plan. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Board voted to direct staff to develop a draft transit service plan that reflects an 85/15 split - that is, a network that allocates 85% of resources to ridership-oriented service and 15% of resources to coverage-oriented service. This direction to pursue a network designed to achieve higher ridership represents a shift from today s network of 70% ridership-oriented service and 30% coverage-oriented service. This change, if implemented, will have the effect of increasing frequency in high ridership transitsupportive corridors and areas while decreasing service in areas with low transit demand. It will promote a design philosophy that embraces a grid of frequent routes with more midday and weekend service. VTA staff has developed a draft transit service plan that reflects the substantial community input received over the summer as well as the VTA Board s guidance on the ridership/coverage balance given at the November 18 Board Workshop. The Next Network draft transit service plan was reviewed by the CTMA at their January 12, 2017 meeting. The draft plan features a redesigned fixed-route transit network that would impact VTA s federal requirements regarding complementary paratransit service. Some network changes would increase VTA s paratransit service obligations, such as new service in previously-unserved geographic areas or an expansion of the hours of service availability in evenings and on weekends. Conversely, some network changes would reduce VTA s paratransit obligations, such as geographic areas that would lose fixed route service entirely. During presentation of the draft transit service plan, the VTA Board has indicated a desire to ensure that the transit service changes do not negatively impact paratransit clients. The options presented below are to determine how to implement the VTA Board s direction. BACKGROUND: Per the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), VTA is required to provide paratransit service to areas within ¾ of a mile of a fixed-route transit service during the hours when the transit route is in operation. VTA s current paratransit policy (adopted in 2009) extends the service area a mile beyond the federal minimum such that trips that start and end within 1 ¾ miles of a fixed-route service are eligible for paratransit service. Trips that occur within the ADA-required boundary (¾ mile) have a $4 fare while trips in the extended service area have a $16 fare. Under VTA s current paratransit policy, some paratransit clients would be impacted-in terms of access to paratransit service or the fare paid-by the transit service changes proposed by VTA s Draft Transit Service Plan. The changes are also expected to result in increased costs to operate paratransit service. VTA places special consideration on the transportation needs of disabled residents and is evaluating modifications to the current paratransit policy that would reduce the impacts to paratransit users caused by transit service changes. Since the paratransit service area is defined by the breadth (location and time of operations) of the transit network, the discontinuance or reduction of some transit routes-as is proposed in the Next Network transit redesign-would mean that some current paratransit clients trips would no longer be contained within the paratransit service area or that some clients fares would shift from $4 to $16 under current VTA policy. If fares increase in the future, there will be a Page 2 of 6

7 comparable change to the paratransit fares quoted here. Changes to the transit service plan do not impact the ability of a person to become eligible for paratransit services. Paratransit-eligible individuals whose residences or destinations are outside the service area remain eligible to use paratransit service, provided that they are able to arrange transportation into the paratransit service area. While some paratransit clients would be negatively impacted by the transit service change under the current paratransit policy, others would receive improved service. The proposed expansions in the hours of operation on some transit routes and increase in transit service levels on weekends would extend the hours and days in which paratransit service is available for some clients. This expanded access to paratransit service is expected to result in an overall increased number of paratransit trips, which would result in higher costs to VTA to provide paratransit service. VTA projects about 4% or 21,110 more annual client trips will be taken by paratransit due to the bus and rail improvements. These trips could, depending on the option selected, impact VTA s Operations Budget by $865,510 annually. DISCUSSION: The following analysis projects the impacts for current clients as well as the VTA financial impacts. This analysis assumes client travel patterns do not change. Fremont Paratransit Clients VTA s extension of BART to Santa Clara County and proposed discontinuance of transit routes 120, 140, 180 and 181, that serve the Fremont BART Station, will reduces VTA s need of providing paratransit service in Alameda County. Paratransit users in southern Alameda County would retain access to paratransit service through East Bay Paratransit, which is jointly funded by AC Transit and BART. Paratransit trips between Alameda and Santa Clara Counties would require a coordinated transfer from East Bay Paratransit to ACCESS Paratransit vehicles likely at the Warm Springs or Milpitas BART Stations. A total of 2,853 annual trips made by 371 clients are currently provided by Access Paratransit to Fremont. Of these trips, about 43% are to the Fremont BART Station. For these passengers traveling on BART, they can now access either the Berryessa or Milpitas Stations instead of travelling all the way to Fremont. Page 3 of 6

8 Santa Clara County Paratransit Impacts and Options The following chart shows the current number of clients and paratransit trips both for the existing service and the new Next Network transit service plan. It also depicts how many of the clients and trips are within the ADA required service area of ¾ mile and how many are in the extended service area. Existing Next Network Inside of 3/4-mile ($4) Extended Service Area ($16) Outside of Extended Service Area Outside of Extended & Not Fremont Trips 527,595 2,549 NA NA Number of clients 7, NA NA Trips 518,030 6,486 5,633 2,780 Number of clients 7, Currently each client in the ADA service area averages 35 round trips annually or about three per a month. The average paratransit client trip costs VTA $45. Ten percent of the cost is covered by paratransit client fares. The remaining balance is roughly: local funds (70%), federal funds (15%) and state funds (5%). The entire paratransit program costs VTA about $23.9 million annually. Policy Considerations Option 1: Continue existing paratransit policy so that paratransit service area is defined by the extent (hours, area) of the fixed-route transit network, with $4 charged for a regular-area fare and $16 charged for the extended-area fare. This option would continue to exceed ADA requirements by including the extended service area at the $16 fare. Under an 85/15 split and the proposed discontinuance of some routes in the Draft Transit Service Plan, 95 current paratransit clients accounting for 2,780 annual trips would no longer be within any paratransit service area. These clients average 29 trips each annually or about one round trip per month. 222 clients, accounting for 3,937 annual trips would shift from the regular fare area to the extended fare area. This would result in $47,244 in additional fares being collected by VTA assuming the same numbers are taken at the increased fare and clients do not arrange transportation within the paratransit service area. Page 4 of 6

9 The estimated overall financial impact of Option 1 for one year is shown below: Projected usage increase due to extended hours $865, clients no longer in service area (net decrease after fares) ($80,620) Additional fare revenue collected from 222 clients ($47,244) Net change in one year operating cost $737,646 The estimated financial impact of Option 1 for three years is shown below with the 4% escalation for client ridership increases and software cost inflation per year: Option 1 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Cumulative total Change in operating cost $737,646 $772,266 $808,272 $2,318,184 (additional) Option 2: This option continues the current policy identified in Option 1 and grandfathers paratransit service for the 95 paratransit clients whose trips would fall outside the paratransit service area under the Draft Transit Service Plan. This option would further maintain those 95 clients at their current fare for one year. This option exceeds ADA requirements. Since the grandfathering would last for one year, no cost savings due to a decrease in client trips would be recognized during that period. Modifying the paratransit management software to accommodate grandfathering clients is expected to result in a reoccurring cost of $70,000 to VTA. Projected usage increase due to extended hours $865,510 Additional fare revenue collected from 222 clients ($47,244) Software upgrade $70,000 Net change in one year operating cost $888,266 The estimated financial impact of Option 2 if continued for three years is shown below with the 4% escalation for client ridership increases and software cost inflation per year: Option 2 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Cumulative total Change in operating cost $888,266 $925,686 $964,604 $2,778,556 (additional) Option 3: This option takes what is covered in Option 2 and further grandfathers the existing paratransit clients that would otherwise move from the regular fare area to the extended service area (a total of 222 clients) and maintains them at their current fare of $4 per trip. This results in 222 clients paying $4 and 225 clients paying the $16 fare within the Extended Service area. This option exceeds ADA requirements. Since the grandfathering would last for one year, no cost savings due to a decrease in client Page 5 of 6

10 trips would be recognized during that period. Modifying the paratransit management software to accommodate grandfathering clients is expected to result in a reoccurring cost of $90,000 to VTA for additional clients from option 2. Projected usage increase due to extended hours $865,510 Software upgrade $90,000 Net change in one year operating cost $955,510 The estimated financial impact of Option 3 if continued for three years is shown below with the 4% escalation for client ridership increases and software cost inflation per year: Option 3 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Cumulative total Change in operating cost $955,510 $993,730 $1,033,480 $2,982,720 (additional) Summary of Options Net Increase One Year Three Years* Option 1: Continue Existing Policy $737,646 $2,318,184 Option 2: Grandfather Clients that fall outside of any service area $888,266 $2,778,556 Option 3: Grandfather Clients that fall outside of any service area & those impacted by paying the Extended Service surcharge $955,510 $2,982,720 * 4% escalation per year Next Steps: This item will be presented for review at the Committee for Transportation Mobility and Accessibility (CTMA) on February 1, 2017 and March 09, 2017 for CTMA recommendation to the Board. This item will be heard by Board Standing Committees with a final approval by the Board of Directors. Prepared By: Aaron Vogel Memo No Page 6 of 6